PREFACE

      The 54th annual meeting of the Industrial Relations Research Association was held in Atlanta on January 3-6, 2002. Still in a state of shock over the events of September 11, 2001, more than 500 members braved a rare Atlanta snowstorm and a closed airport to meet and discuss new research and ideas on where the industry and the world were headed. The meeting centered around a theme established in late 2000, "A Roadmap for IR in the New Century." But members also met between sessions, over meals, and in the hallways discussing the effect of September 11 on workers and the changing world of work. These dialogues, while not captured in this volume, shaped a new set of questions to the research and ideas presented in Atlanta and have been expanded in other IRRA publications, like the June 2002 issue of Perspectives on Work, and in sessions at future meetings.

      This winter conference featured sessions on a variety of important topics such as, how collective bargaining can deal with industry flux; union and management cooperation and approaches to multi-employer plans; a cross-national analysis of affirmative action and employment equity laws; incentives in public and nonprofit sectors; and the changing nature of professional work.

      President Magdalena Jacobsen’s luncheon address, " IRRA--On-Line and On-Message" was an appropriate prelude to the first-ever online format of the IRRA Proceedings. After 53 years of publication, this volume will be published for members online in 2003. Only libraries, contributing authors, and those wishing to purchase complete printed collections (for a nominal fee) are being sent the printed version. The new online proceedings will provide both members and visitors the opportunity to perform keyword searches. By tying into major web search engines, it is hoped this new access will cast a wide net to those looking for information in our field who may not already be familiar with the association. Also, publishing online will offer important cost savings to the organization in future years.

      Our new strategic alliance with the University of Illinois Press has helped to open a number of doors to electronic publishing. I wish to thank Ann Lowry, Clydette Wantland, and Paul Arroyo at the Press, for their help envisioning and creating both the printed and electronic versions of this volume. I also want to acknowledge Paula Hamman at the IRRA office for her fine work coordinating the proceedings submissions with the authors.

      The 55th Annual meeting is scheduled for Washington, D.C. on January 2-5, 2003 and will focus on "New Policies and Approaches in Employer Relations." President John F. Burton, Jr. and the IRRA Program Committee encourage you to mark your calendar and plan to attend. We hope to see you there.

Paula D. Wells
IRRA Executive Director